Fat Loss Plan - Feedback From PROs Please

T Nation Team,

I have been working out for several years, so I am not a super-beginner, yet I’d love to run my fat loss plan by you to get some pro feedback on how to optimize results (i.e., burn 2 lbs or more of fat per week while preserving muscle mass) in the least time possible.

So, admittedly, I let myself go a bit in 2022 and amassed, by my estimation, 15-20 lbs of fat that I’d like to get rid of (just had too much fun eating …).

To accomplish this task in no time, I came up with the following plan based on clean nutrition, caloric deficit, and targeted workout.

  1. WORKOUT PLAN (Daily)
  • Routine (completed in 2 sessions):

Chest Pulls (2 arms, 110-15- lbs): 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Shoulder Presses (2 arms, 110-15- lbs): 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Bench Presses (2 arms, 80-100 lbs): 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Leg Curls (2 legs, 100 lbs): 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Leg Presses (2 legs, 110-15- lbs): 4 sets of 10-12 reps
CARDIO - Fast Walk (14 elevation, 3.5 speed, 5-10 mins)

  1. NUTRITION PLAN (Daily)

3 chicken breasts (roughly 400 calories total)
1 bag of legumes (roughly 270 calories total)
1 small Gatorade (roughly 140 calories total)

Assuming I have a BMR of 2200-2500 and burn between 200 and 250 calories per day via workout, I estimate that the weekly caloric deficit should be well in excess of 7000 (i.e., 2 lbs burned).

What do you think - would you update the above plan to maximize fat burn speed and results and, if so, how?

I am on week 2 now and feeling good (getting stronger, so increasing weights, and planning on increasing cardio walking time by 2 min per day per week).

Would appreciate any input from folks who have optimized their way from fatty to ripped :slight_smile:

TY & TTYL

Just my opinion:

Why are you doing the same exercises/bodyparts everyday? This gives you no recovery. I would also up the cardio to at least 20min per day.

This is nowhere near enough food and will become completely unsustainable. Your weight loss will stall and you will have nowhere to go.
Figure out your TDEE and drop cals by 500 per day to start. If you stall you will still have room to come down.

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Can i ask how much you weigh? Trying to understand why this number is low.

This is likely not sustainable.

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I feel like we just had a similar conversation here and I’ll assume you’re similarly dead-set on sticking with 800 calories a day. I’ll offer two thoughts:

  1. The first is somewhat philosophical. Even if you can lose weight twice as fast, but only for three weeks, wouldn’t you do better to lose weight at half that pace for 12 weeks?

  2. If you’re going with 800 calories, I think your only practical option for retaining muscle is a protein sparing modified fast (PSMF). Do some googling, but basically say goodbye to the legumes and Gatorade and turn all those calories into protein. Be aware you are certainly accepting some micro and macronutrition deficiencies, so you need a pretty quick deadline.

EDIT: 3 pretty similar responses all within seconds of one another! I love when a plan comes together.

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I foresee that nutrition plan not being very beneficial to one’s hormones, alongside a bevy of other concerns.

If my intent was to engage in an extreme approach for fat loss, I’d do the Velocity Diet. At least we know that works. And it’s got a set amount of time to run: 28 days. AND it’s got a workout plan with it.

And then, after that, I’d do the other thing Dan John advises: eat like an adult.

Or a Warrior king.

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TY all for your feedback + figured re: caloric deficiency and “non-variability” of workout - a few clarifications:

  1. I am working out in a nice apartment complex gym that has a set of standing weight-lifting machines, so I basically go through all of them in the cycle I’ve outlined (used to do daily variable workouts in the past but here I just went with ease) - so far, muscle recovery seems to be ok-ish since I am not sore anymore and actually upping weights - does this alleviate some concerns - especially if I aim to continue this for 8-12 weeks max. prior to switching things up?

  2. Caloric deficit is quite large, admittedly, but I do not feel hunger and am actually pretty full (3-4 chicken breasts a day + plenty of veggies fill you up) - if I do this diet for 8 weeks or so and then slowly bump up calories to normal for my body weight (currently 190 lbs or so but aiming for 175-180), I assume things will be ok?

In summary - for an 8 or so week program with the workout above (will up cardio to 20 min a day) and the food-plan listed, do you think that I am risking too much muscle mass? I am in the middle of week 2 so far and body comp and feeling have improved quite a bit (way less bloat and some less blubber, so to say, so this seems to be working).

TY

^Read here

^and here

You’ll live, it’s just a very sub-optimal way to do this.

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Dude I tried the PSMF several years ago, for both a quick weight loss and experiment, but I only lasted about a week. It SUCKED…HARD.

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Even the authors of this approach stop short of recommending it

Just keep doing that then.

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Got it - TY all - I will try my luck for another week+ and see how it goes and adjust from there - appreciate the feedback

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